2.20 CARAT ROUND DIAMOND FOR $2900?

THIS 2 CARAT DIAMOND WON'T BE PRETTY...

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This post is taken from our Q&A Section on Diamond Guide that is meant to give advice to people about Diamonds and Diamond Buying.

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Question:

Hi. I want a 3 Carat Diamond but I know that I’ll probably never be able to afford that. I went to a large Jewelry Store and the Jeweler showed me a 2.20 Carat Round Diamond (not in a setting), for $2,900.

It was an H Color, I2 Clarity. He told me that this was a steal!

It looked great at the store under their lights but I walked away since I wasn’t prepared to spend $3,000 without first looking around, asking Jewelers etc…

I need guidance in this before I go back or if you think I shouldn’t go back !!

Would I be dissapointed in this stone once I am home seeing it in natural lighting?

I don’t want junk and the price of this ring in comparison to what I am seeing for a 2 Carat sounds to me that it’s got to be junk.

I can afford $3,000 for a Diamond that might not be Flawless, but to the naked eye it would be gorgeous, if you know what I mean… It’s a dream of mine to get that huge rock. But I do want it to be beautiful and not look bad.

Again, I really couldn’t tell at the store if it was bad Clarity, all those lights they have to display was overpowering to my eyes.

Please help if you can.

Many thanks!

The Jeweler made me believe that this was a one of a kind ring with this price. I am not sure if he was pressuring me or he was telling the truth.

The sooner I hear from you the sooner I can make a decision and either run back to buy it or be grateful that I saved my hard earned money for something else someday.

Thank you again !!!!!!

-Diane

Answer:

Hi Diane.

Do this… Go back to the Jeweler and look at the Diamond under a Microscope. I2 Clarity is the second to the worst Clarity there is. There WILL be visible flaws and probably large ones that you see without looking too hard (the image above shows an I1 Clarity Diamond, and even those are pretty obvious!) If you can’t see them well because of the bright lights, make sure you look at the Diamond under a 10x Microscope. This is a MUST! Especially for such a large stone and purchase.

The Flaws may be harder to see if they are White Inclusions (versus Black Carbon Spots) or even Fractures that run through the stone, but these are important to find because they can weaken the Diamond. Also, check the Girdle for any Chips or Nicks. You do get what you pay for.

$2,900 for a 2.20 Carat Diamond is Very Cheap! You can barely get a 1.00 Carat at the lowest Clarity for that price (check out James Allen’s I1, I, 1.00 Diamond for $3,630 Here – With an Excellent Cut, Polish, and Symmetry!)… and those aren’t pretty (view the i1 Diamond in the picture above… that’s better quality than an I2). There has to be more wrong with the Diamond than first meets the eye. It could have strong Fluorescence to it. It could have a really bad Cut or no Brilliance and Sparkle. Check it out. Looking at the Diamond under a microscope will show you most everything. I would also hope that this Diamond is Certified, but from the sounds of it, it probably isn’t. You may never really know how bad it is.

I say proceed with caution. Ask them to show you the Diamond up against a better Clarity Diamond, just so you can see the difference. Also, do go around to other Jewelers and look at their 2 Carat Diamonds. I’m sure you’ll see a difference. It’s $2,900 for a reason…

To be quite frank with you, if you have $3,000 to spend on a Diamond Ring, I would put it into a little bit better quality first. For example, you could buy a Diamond from James Allen that is .90 Carat, SI2 Clarity, F Color, GIA Certified for $3,260… SI2, F, Excellent Cut Round Diamond

I know there’s a big difference in Carat Weight, but I would be very careful buying a 2.20 for that same price. I fear you would be disappointed in the future. Compare Diamonds of different qualities under a scope. View them side by side. Don’t rush into things…

Start with a smaller Carat Weight, put your money into quality first, then down the road upgrade the stone. You’ll always have an Anniversary just around the bend…

:) Hope this helps! Good luck!

-Richard

Reply:

Dear Richard,

Thank you very much for your quick response !!!

I feel so much better now that I didn’t jump into getting this ring. I will do as you recommend and shop around more…